Saints to interview defensive coordinator candidates

Wednesday

Feb 6, 2013 at 12:01 AMFeb 6, 2013 at 10:27 AM

NEW ORLEANS — The Saints will interview Todd Grantham and Rob Ryan for the defensive coordinator opening at the end of this week.

WWLTV.com

NEW ORLEANS — The Saints will interview Todd Grantham and Rob Ryan for the defensive coordinator opening at the end of this week.Additionally, the Saints are waiting on at least one other person to interview, said an NFL source, who didn’t give a name for the man the team is waiting on.As first reported by the NOLA media group, Grantham will speak with Saints officials Thursday while Ryan’s time comes Friday.ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported earlier Tuesday that the Saints planned to hire Ryan as their defensive coordinator. But with Grantham coming in, that’s not necessarily a certainty.Ryan was fired from his position as defensive coordinator of the Cowboys this offseason.Eyewitness News sports director Doug Mouton said the deal isn’t done yet. The brother of New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, Rob Ryan has served as a defensive coordinator in the NFL since the 2004 season. He’s led the defenses for the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys.The St. Louis Rams flirted with signing Ryan earlier this offseason, but ultimately decided to go in another direction.The Saints would rely on Ryan to implement the switch to the 3-4 defense this offseason. Ryan ran that defensive formation in Dallas.Dallas gave up 25 points a game last season, while New Orleans averaged 28.4. Grantham, meanwhile, has spent the past three seasons as the University of Georgia’s defensive coordinator, employing a 3-4 scheme that helped the Bulldogs go to the SEC championship game both in 2011 and 2012. UGA came within five yards of earning a spot in the BCS title game this season, an Alabama defensive stop ending its chances.Grantham has an NFL background, having worked in Indianapolis, Cleveland and Dallas.